Buckle.



E. G. A. WACHHOLZ.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 1915.

1 1 82,063 Patented May 9, 1916.

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m5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10-. wAsmNG'roN, a. c.

EDWARD G. A. WACHHOLZ, OF KILIBOURN, WISCONSIN.

BUCKLE.

Application filed November 12, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Rev. EDWARD G. A. IVAcHHoLz, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Kilbourn. in the county of Columbia and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles: and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in buckles or couplings for belts or other strap like objects.

It is the object of the invention to provide a buckle or coupling which is of an exceedingly simple structure. and which has its parts so relatively arranged that the strain incident to holding articles together is so distributed throughout the entire device as to permit a maximum lightness and economy of structure consistent with sufficient strength and ready operation.

A further object is to provide a buckle or coupling wherein the tongue member is resiliently urged from its operative position whereby under certain conditions manipulation of the device is greatly facilitated, as articles held by the device may be uncoupled simply by removing normal strain from such articles and permitting them to move slightly together.

\Vith the above and other objects and advantages in View, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, arrangement and formation of parts more particularly hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan side of the improved buckle. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken longitudinally through the device on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through a form of the buckle which is particularly adapted for use in connection with power belts. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the form of buckle shown in Fig. 4, with portions thereof broken away to more clearly disclose the structure.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, the embodiment of the device therein shown com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Serial No. 61,011.

prises a rectangular plate 5 which is provided in various portions with slots 6 to lighten the body without detracting materially from the strength thereof, certain of these slots extending longitudinally and one of such longitudinal slots serving to receive the tongue hereinafter to be de scribed. The side portions of the body are formed with longitudinally extending lateral flanges 7, the ends of which are enlarged at 8 to carry transverse shafts 9 and 10 from the body. The shaft 9 carries centrally a tongue 10 which is adapted to extend through the eye of a strap member, here designated at 12 and through the respective slot 6 to abut against the end thereof. whereby it is held against rotation to thus hold the strap. The shaft 10 serves as the securing means for the strap 13 to which the buckle or coupling is secured, said strap end being bent around the shaft and fastened.

To resiliently urge the tongue 11 inwardly and laterally of slot 6, one side portion of the shaft 9 is reduced at 14 and on this reduced portion is provided a coil spring 15 which has its inner end secured to the shaft and its outer end secured at 16 to the adjacent side flange 7. Thus to release the strap 12 from the buckle, it is merely necessary to move it inwardly and the tongue 11 will swing under action of the spring, away from the strap, whereby the strap may then be withdrawn without its eye being engaged by the tongue. In the embodiment of the present device including this spring, the straps 12 and 13 would normally be under such tension as to hold the tongue in engagement. In other embodiments however, the strap 12 would not be subject to constant tension and in these in-, stances the spring 14 would be done away with or a spring having an opposite action might be employed.

The side flange portions 7 serve to mount the shafts 9 and 10 spaced from the body and they also serve to impart a channel shape to the body, whereby it is of relatively great strength. It is seen that most of the strain incident to the use of the device is imparted longitudinally along these flanges. It is also noted that the strain of holding the strap 12 is distributed at three points, the end of the slot 6 and the ends of the shaft 14. An exceedingly simple device is thus provided, which is preferably stamped from a single sheet of material, and wherein the strain incident to use will be distributed as to produce a maximum strength.

The type of buckle just described could not well be used in connection with power belts, and form of the device particularly adapted for use in connection with power belts is therefore shown in Figs. 1- and 5. In this embodiment of the invention, the buckle comprises a body plate 17 having its side edges turned upwardly to provide flanges 18 which carry at their end portions transverse shafts 1!) and 20 respectively, the shaft 20 having mounted thereon a sleeve 21, projecting from which are tongues If desired the tongues could be projected from the shaft itself in the same manner as the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. The body plate is slit along the flanges 18 at its end portion adjacent to shaft 19 and the portion embraced by the slits is bent backwardly to form in conjunction with the flanges 18 and the rest of the plate, a socket in which the end of the belt 23 is secured. This belt end is provided with slots 24. receiving the tongues in a manner similar to the slot (3 of Figs. 1 to $5 and thus the end of the belt to which the buckle is adapted may be termed as forming a part of the body of the buckle.

The belt end 25 to be secured by the buckle is passed between the shaft 19 and the body and under the tongue sleeve and the tongues of the sleeve are engageable through slots in the said belt end. The shaft 19 preferably carries a non-frictional sleeve 27, and this sleeve holds the belt end 25 outwardly of the plane of the body plate 17 so that said body plate is held from such engagement with the pulley as to cause an undesired slipping.

I claim:

1. A buckle comprising a body member, shafts carried by the end portions of the body member, a strap secured to the body member between the shafts and provided with a slot, a tongue on one shaft extensible into the slot, and the other shaft being adapted to engage a strap to be buckled to hold it outwardly of the plane of the body member.

52. A buckle comprising a plate having its sides bent laterally to form flanges and slit at one end along said flanges with its portion bound by the slits bent inwardly to form a socket, a strap having one end secured in said socket and provided with a slot, a trans verse shaft carried by the flanges adjacent said slot, a tongue on the shaft extensible into the slot and a second shaft carried by the flanges and adapted to engage a strap end to hold it outwardly of the plane of the body portion of the plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Portage, in the county of Columbia and State of \Viscousin, in the presence of two Witnesses.

REX- EDWARD G. A. WACHIIOLZ.

\Vitnesses F. IV. Kinrnu, A. J. RAMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. C. 

